Generally, a battle is a conceptual component in the hierarchy of combat in warfare between two or more armed forces, or combatants. In a battle, each combatant will seek to defeat the others, with defeat determined by the conditions of a military campaign. Battles generally are well defined in duration, area and force commitment.

In the Age of Piracy, battles were fought on land and sea. Naval battles have occurred since before the 5th century BC. Many battles were either full out battles or just mere skirmishes. Battles between two or three individuals, depending on who fights whom, was called a duel. Some battles, like some from the War Against Piracy, were battles to the death.